PLASTIC SURGERY

Brow lift

Q: What are the two types of brow lifts?

Classic brow lift A classic brow lift involves one continuous incision from ear to ear across the top of your head (typically around your hair line). Endoscopic brow lift An endoscopic brow lift involves a few shorter incisions in your scalp. Your surgeon inserts a scope (a camera attached to a thin tube) into one incision to view your tissues on screen and inserts a device into another incision to make the necessary changes. The surgeon may use a temporary or permanent stitch or anchor below your scalp to keep the tissues in place. Because the incisions are smaller, an endoscopic brow lift is less invasive, with minimal scarring and a shorter recovery time.

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What is a brow lift?

Do you have low, sagging, or uneven eyebrows? Aging typically causes our eyebrows to move down as the years go by. If your brows aren’t where they should be – and you’re tired of looking tired – a brow lift may be the answer.

A brow lift is a cosmetic procedure that raises the soft tissue and skin on your forehead and brow, improving the appearance of both. A brow lift can also help:

Reduce wrinkles across your forehead and/or between your eyes
Lessen frown lines between your eyebrows
Raise sagging brows that affect your upper eyelids

What are the two types of brow lifts?

Classic brow lift

A classic brow lift involves one continuous incision from ear to ear across the top of your head (typically around your hair line).

Endoscopic brow lift

An endoscopic brow lift involves a few shorter incisions in your scalp. Your surgeon inserts a scope (a camera attached to a thin tube) into one incision to view your tissues on screen and inserts a device into another incision to make the necessary changes. The surgeon may use a temporary or permanent stitch or anchor below your scalp to keep the tissues in place.

Because the incisions are smaller, an endoscopic brow lift is less invasive, with minimal scarring and a shorter recovery time.

How do I prepare for brow lift surgery?

To prepare, your surgeon may instruct you to:

Limit alcohol consumption
Stop smoking
Avoid taking certain medications
Grow your hair out to cover your scars

Brow lift surgery is an outpatient procedure, so you shouldn’t have to stay overnight in a hospital. However, you will need a driver to take you home and arrange to have someone take care of you for at least the first 24 hours.

What happens during a brow lift?

Depending on the type of brow lift you have, you could receive local anesthesia to numb the area or general anesthesia that puts you to sleep. Once the tissues causing your sagging brows, wrinkles, and/or frown lines are moved, your surgeon will close the incision(s) with stitches or staples and wrap the site with padding and bandages to protect them. Brow lift surgery can take anywhere between 1-3 hours.

What are the risks involved with a brow lift?

There are potential risks with any cosmetic surgery, including a brow lift. These include:

Scarring
Pain
Bleeding
Infection
Limited movement of your eyebrows
Hair loss around the incision(s)
Asymmetry
Numbness

What happens after a brow lift?

Your recovery depends on the type of brow lift you have. In either case, your stitches or staples will need to be removed within a week. You will probably have swelling and bruising – even on parts of your face that weren’t operated on, like your cheeks or eyes – that should be gone in about a week.

If you had a classic brow lift, you will likely experience more pain during your recovery. You may experience itching, tingling, or numbness as well.

Most patients can resume their daily activities within 10 days, depending on which procedure they had and their own personal rate of recovery. It may take up to six months for your forehead to completely heal.

What before and after results can I expect from a brow lift?

A brow lift is a permanent cosmetic procedure, although the results of your brow lift may fade as you age. Our skin loses strength and elasticity as we get older, which makes wrinkles reappear. The good news is that after a brow lift, your wrinkles may return but they shouldn’t be as deep or severe.
You can improve the longevity of your brow lift by wearing sunscreen and protecting your skin from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.